The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-05
EhIGRANFS WANTED,
ANB MANUFACTURES AND
SKILLED, INDUSTRIOUS
Mechanics and Diversified Farmisg,
I'm order 70 Assure a stable and
Enduring 6rowth.
To tho Editor Of. the Appeal:

Memphis and realizing that there
mast be very radical change in the
policy Of her citizens before we can
have that prosperity, l ask the use OF
ySur columns for the purpose OF call
ing attention to some facts which are,
in my opinion, Of vital Importance In
with this subject. In
the first place it may be well to note
the fact that great cities are built up
and sustained either by rich and
populous agricultural countries
around them, or by manufactures
within their own limits. If we are
to become a great distributing center
we must have around us large,
prosperous and growing agricultural
country with diversified products
and plenty of people both as pro-
ducers and as consumers. Producers
of the products of ODr soil,
and consumers of the commodities
which we as city may have to offer
in exchange for the same, whether
our offerings be the products of our
own manufactures or those of,others
which we may handle as articles of
merchandise. Have we such coun-
try around us? Is it both populous
and prosperous? L am sorry to have
to answer, no. The country tribu-
tary to Memphis is very large, but it
is neither populous or prosperous.
Mississippi, North Alabama, West
Tennessee and Arkansas are her
main commercial feeders. Missis-
sippi has been on the decline for
twenty five years. North Alabama,
except in the development of her
iron interest, is nc better. West
Tennessee is barely holding her own.
Arkansas is the only State tributary
to Memphis that is improving, and
she is belted by Jay Gould with his
Missouri Pacific railway and its
branches, which are pulling every
dollars worth of business possible to
St. Louis. None OF the States named,
except Arkansas, are get
ting any immigration, nor
are they making any effort
to get any. Cotton is almost their
only product, and the proceeds of
that crop are consumed a year in ad-
vance Of its gathering, The farmers,
or a large majority of them, have
mortgages out which cover about all
of their resources, while the country
merchant or the Memphis cotton
factor holds the bill OF sale. Such
being the case, We are safe in saying
that the agricultural portion of the
country tributary to'Memphis is GER
tainly in a very unhealthy CONNER
cial condition. The country towns
in the States named are likewise
suffering. This is shown by their
dilapidated condition, the small
ness of their business, as we'll as by
the constant shrinkage in value, which
property within them has been un-
dergoing for some years past. These
are solid facts of serious character,
and the oner the citizens of Mem
phis realize it, the better. We may
draw wagon wheel and make Mem
phis the hub, but until the spokes,
ielloes and tires are strong, healthy
and self sustaining, the hub will be
of little importance.
But may be asked how is Mem
phis to remedy this evil? | answer,
in two wayse1 Organize for the
purpose of securing immigration
to the States which are tributary
to us, and develop into a manufac-
turing city by Offering such induce
ments as will bring capital and peo-
pie here. AS it is we are city of
consumers, fruitful only to the ex-
tent that we consume the products of
the East and the great Northwest,
aud enrich them to our own detri-
ment. We have for years past been
in too much idle twaddle
about our natural advantages"
while Kansas City, st. Paul, Denver,
Omaha, and other like places, have
gone to work and made themselves
great in reality, while we have reach
ed only imaginary greatness. We have
had too many people who are large
real estate owners, waiting in idle
ness for thirty years past, expecting
others to come in and build a great
city here while they God by with
out effort or outlay and reaped the
benefits. If some of the same class
would encourage capital to come here
by offering building sites for manu-
and taking stock in the
same, instead of investing all of their
incomes in real estate and then hold
ing it at fabulous prices, we would
today not have to resort to band
wagons, free lunches and the like in
order to get up real estate boom.
the agricultural interests of
the country and the manufacturing
interests of the city and real estate
will take care of itself. We have had
enough pricked bubbles in the real
estate line already. Some Of them
date back to 1889, as some of
our citizens who bought property
then can attest. Doubtless if they
could now realize cost after their
long holding they would be satisfied.
High rent based on imaginary values
OF real estate udS De6u, duu lS NOW,
curse to Memphis. Rents are higher
here thaus they are in cities of two
and three times our population. This
has operated against our growth
in the fact that it has kept
people from settling here, and has
been burden to those of our citi-
zens who are renters. This apI lies
to the home of the mechanic and the
mill operative as well as to the store
of the joboing merchant who has to
go abroad and compete with
merchants of other and larger mar
kets who occupy larger and better
stores at half the cost in the way of
rent. We want more public spirit,
less short sighted selfshness, fewer
capitalists who buy real estate to
hold without developing it, and more
encouragement to capitalists to come
and start public works in our midst.
AS it is, we have no manufacturing
establishments to speak of, q country
around us with little commercial
while we are making